This invention relates to needle devices of the type incorporating angled needles.
Angled needle devices are employed in various medical procedures, including for example the infusion of fluids into subcutaneous access ports. Typically, as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,176 (Quick), such devices include a needle having a penetrating section disposed normally to an inlet section, the latter being surrounded and at least partially encased by a housing which may be grasped and manipulated by medical personnel during insertion of the needle. Ideally, the needle is firmly gripped by and thus immobilized with respect to the housing, thereby facilitating accurate insertion of the penetrating section through the patient's skin and into the subcutaneous access port. Such needle devices may remain in place for protracted periods of time. Thus, after insertion, the housings are usually taped to the patient's skin to immobilize the needle relative to the puncture site. Unfortunately, the resulting bulk of the externally taped housing contributes substantial bulk to the dressing and causes substantial discomfort to the patient. The patient is more likely to be conscious of this discomfort at all times due to the bulk of the dressing and its unsightly appearance.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,234 (Whitney et al), attempts have been made at minimizing patient discomfort due to needle mobility by encasing the exterior inlet section of the needle in a thick planar pad designed to lie against the patient's skin. While this arrangement may stabilize the needle after insertion, it presents other problems in that the planar pads obscure the insertion target from the line of sight of medical personnel during insertion, in addition to being difficult to grip and manipulate.
There remains, therefore, a need for an angled needle device which may be reliably, efficiently and accurately manipulated by medical personnel during insertion, and which may thereafter be separated from its insertion aids or grips and may be securely held in place for protracted periods of time without causing undue dressing bulk, unsightly bulges or discomfort to the patient.